After
by Chibi's Sister
Summary: He made a unique impact on each of their lives. Now that he's gone, they'll all have to find their own way of moving on. A series of reflective oneshots by Chibi's Sister and Silver Huntress.
1. Tea

Author's Note: My first story on so bring on the concrit, but easy with the flames, please. And please review, because I'll feel better knowing someone actually read this, whether you liked it or thought it was terrible.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh or any of it's characters. If I did, why would I be writing on a fanfiction site?

After:

Gone. He's really gone. I never really thought this day would come. It's not like I wasn't warned; I knew it was coming to this. He'd talked about, we'd talked about, everyone'd talked about it. Everything had been moving toward this, culminating to this point. Some climax. It felt like a letdown, like the ground under my feet suddenly gave way. I never thought he'd actually leave. Well, I guess I thought it in my mind, but I never accepted it in my heart. Maybe it was blind delusion, just fooling myself, or whatever. Or maybe it was just that I couldn't picture him being gone, couldn't begin to imagine what our lives would be like without him. What _my_ life would be without him.

This is hard. I have to choke back the tears every now and then, resist the urge to wail out "Why?" I know why. He had to move on. This is the way it had to be. This is what he _wanted_. I keep telling myself that. It's all for the best. But I don't believe it yet. And I feel miserable. I wish here was here with us, with _me_, so badly, and yet I hate myself for wishing it. Would I keep him here, against his will, prevent him from passing on to where he's meant to be? Are you really that selfish, Tea? That focused so much on your own wants, your own wishes? These are the words I lash myself with when the lonely, if-only, wishing gets too great. All it seems to do is add sting to the ache.

Caught up in this struggle of my emotions, it's so hard to face the others. I plaster on the cheery smile I know they expect to see and I fake my way through a bright and cheerful day. Every once in a while, they'll flash me a worried glance, but I ignore it. I don't want to worry anyone, make anyone feel any worse than they already do. I'll be okay. I'll manage. We're all struggling here, especially Yugi.

_Yugi_. I'm worried about him. He's so quiet now, even more so than usual. He barely talks at all, and he never starts a conversation, just responds to what you say. His eyes are red, sometimes, when he comes to school in the morning, and so often they drift away, and I know his heart's not with us anymore. He must be so lonely now, completely alone. I don't want to hurt him, give him anymore pain.

So, I keep it all inside, locked away. Everything I feel—and never said. All the times I said our friendship would last forever—and never said that what I felt was so much more than friendship. All those times I followed behind, opened my mouth—and bit my tongue. All the times that I let my chance slip by, and never let my true feelings show. Because I was afraid.

I can see it now; I was afraid. Afraid of changing everything, afraid of loving someone I didn't, couldn't, understand. Afraid that he didn't feel the same way, afraid it wouldn't matter.

And maybe I was right—it probably wouldn't. I have to be honest with myself: If I had told him how I really felt, would it have really changed his mind? I can only answer no. He would have left anyway, as surely as the sun sets at night. All it would have done is made it harder for him to leave. It would have made him feel guilty, feel bad about causing me pain, a bitter parting thought to trouble him in the afterlife. And he doesn't deserve that. He deserves to enjoy his reward, rest in peace, finally where he belongs, untroubled by guilt over a stupid schoolgirl's crush.

So, no, I shouldn't have any regrets. I should just look back and cherish the time we did have. And I try. But it's hard. I miss him so much, his strength, his courage, his heart. It's like there's this empty place in my heart that will never be filled, like a piece of our circle is missing, incomplete. I guess it'll be like that forever. I mean, there's no one who could take his place, no one that's like him.

Or is there?

I walked to school with Yugi the other day. We didn't talk much, just walked along silently. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts and soon I was in mine. It was nice though, to walk with him. We hadn't done that in a while. It was comforting, in a way, just to be with him, knowing we're both thinking of the same thing, feeling the same grief.

As we had almost the reached the school, Yugi looked up at me. "Thank you, Tea." He said softly. Our eyes met. They were soft, delicate, full of the sorrow and loneliness that haunted my own, yet holding pity and sympathy for me, which touched me to my heart. But more than that, I saw strength. I saw courage. And I saw something else, something I couldn't name or put a finger on, but that stirred my soul. And just for a moment, it felt like a circle completed.


	2. Yugi

Author's Note: The original "After" one shot was written by me (Chibi's Sister) after watching the final episode of Yu-gi-oh. Silver Huntress read it and asked if she could continue the theme with one shots about other characters. After a while, it grew into a collection of sorts. Each one shot was written independently by its author, using a common theme and continuity. This one was written by Silver Huntress.

After: Yugi

I feel the emptiness in my mind. I feel like my limbs have been removed. I-I miss him. So much. For so many years his spirit was there guiding me, protecting me, teaching me and now…. Nothing.

My thoughts echo around in my skull with no one there to answer. Over the years I'd grown accustomed to bouncing ideas off the pharaoh—Atem; now I was alone. His presence was unobtrusive when he was here and now his absence is deafening.

In a daze I move through life still unable to grasp that he is no longer with us. I remember one night as a habit I'd said, "Good night Pharaoh." As soon as the words left my mouth I'd wished I could pull them back. At the same time I strained to hear, "Good night, Yugi," like he'd said so many times before. Of course he wouldn't answer. He wasn't there to. And he'd never be there again. I'd cried myself to sleep that night. One night of many.

A few days ago Pegasus was on the news announcing a second Duelist Kingdom Tournament. He'd invited all comers and said he'd hoped to see me there. I had glared at the TV. Pegasus was the one who got us on the road of sending Atem to the Afterlife. Pegasus was the one who started all of this. If it weren't for him… No. I was just looking for someone to blame. This started five thousand years ago with the birth of a prince named Atem. There was nothing I could have done to prevent him from moving on.

"It's destiny." How many times had I heard him use those words to try and reason with Kaiba? How many times had I spoken of destiny? Now I sit and rage at destiny for taking my closest friend from me. It was never permanent. I knew that; I knew that one day he would leave me. I'd just hoped and prayed that it would be a long time before it happened.

Some days I wake from slumber with images of the battles we'd fought together. When I wake from those dreams I can feel his courage and determination burning so fiercely I almost fool myself into believing he's returned. When I remember, I feel the pain of loosing him fresh in my heart and I sit in bed for a time weeping silently.

Once Grandpa had found me crying and I bitterly claimed, "I wish I'd never met him." The dream was of our first duel with Rafael when he played the Seal and lost. I remember being trapped in that darkness. I felt the same despair I had then. I'd felt abandoned, alone, as though I'd never again be bathed in golden sunlight. Then like a knife in my heart, I remembered how hard he fought to free me from that prison. And sobbed aloud. "No, I'm sorry, Pharaoh. I don't mean that." I forgot he wasn't there to hear. Grandpa took me into a warm hug and whispered, "He knows, Yugi. He knows."

I think over our last duel. When we were opponents rather than allies he had said I taught him kindness and I'd said he showed me courage and confidence. I try to find the things he left behind but all I find are painful memories. Memories of how he refused to accept defeat no matter how high the deck was stacked against him. Memories of how he fearlessly stared into gaping jaws of vicious monsters while they roared at him. I remember how he faced Zorc when all hope seemed to be long gone. I remember how he summoned the light from the people trapped within the Leviathan in order to power the Egyptian Gods. Now matter how dark the world around him the light of his hope and courage shined brightly enough to be blinding.

I feel a shove on my shoulder and a voice growls, "Where do you think you're goin' shrimp? You gotta pay the toll." This is followed by gruff laughter.

I look up and see Ushio. He had been suspended for a while, but now he's apparently back and looking to steal some of my money. I feel a fire burn in my chest. I feel the courage Atem left behind and the confidence adds fuel to the flames. I ignore him and step around him.

"Hey!" he yells.

Bored, I turn to look at him and speak, "Don't you have anything better to do?" He is baffled by this not since I'd stopped him from hurting Joey and Tristan had I spoken to him this way. Wait, correction, I'd _never_ spoken to him this way. Almost as though the Pharaoh has taken over my body I lash out at him with my verbal assault, "Get a spine, Ushio. Maybe then you can think of other ways to get spending money other than stealing it from people who actually _earn_ it. You're too weak for words. All you do is look for easy targets who won't fight back and if they do you use a coward's techniques to get revenge."

"Wh-What?" He stands before me wide eyed. I notice for the first time that my voice has changed. It's grown deeper and is indistinguishable from Atem's. I notice too that I am much closer to Ushio's face then I was the last time we've met. I've grown taller. Now he's afraid of me because I'm a threat.

"I've seen you Ushio. You ambush your targets in the dark. You don't even have the balls to settle scores in the open in a fair fight. Humph. Go find someone else to intimidate, Ushio. I don't scare easy not anymore."

I walk away from the encounter a little taller as I straighten my back and walk with pride. I hear the whispers about how I stood up to Ushio the ogre and survived without a scratch. I can almost hear him congratulating me in my ear. When I reach class I give my friends a genuine smile for the first time in months as I silently thank Atem for coming into my life for giving me such courage and hope and confidence. And for the first time, I thank him for leaving me.


	3. Joey

Author's Note: This one's from Silver Huntress

** After: Joey **

No more pharaoh. No more psychos tryin' to take over the world. No more magic. No more edge of your seat adventure. I should feel happy for the guy. I should be relieved that things can go back to normal, for real. But I'm not. I miss him. I miss the uncertainty of whether we would be able to save the world. I even miss the spooky creepy weirdness that was magic. Now it's the normal life for us. Yep, just sittin' pretty on the success of the past… I'M LOOSING MY MIND HERE!!! I never thought I'd say this but I _want_ some nut-job to come at us with a crazy scheme involving some crazy powerful magic to take over the planet. Because with so many weirdos running around for so long I've gotten used to the whole hero bit. And besides if he's needed the pharaoh will probably come back.

Ahh quit kidding yourself man. I tell myself. He'll never be back. He's resting; the guy could use a vacation after 5,000 years. Everyone has a chance to relax and all I can do is wonder how long it will take for me to go completely insane. I've taken to looking for trouble in the dark alleys of Domino; I've sharpened my skills on the thugs and morons who are dumb enough to underestimate me. I can't even enjoy it. Because I'm waiting for Yugi to tell me I shouldn't do it. Instead he stares off into space and nods as I tell him of my latest victory.

Yugi, come back. Ever since Atem left you act like you've died. You've been like my conscience for years and I need to hear you say, "I don't think that's a good idea, Joey." _Why, Pharaoh?_ Did you know the mess you'd be leavin' behind when you left? If you did and I find out, I swear I'll find a way to come after you and yell at you for a few years.

I can see that Yugi and Tea are really suffering but both of them don't try to talk about it. Hell, I think even Kaiba misses the guy although the mutt comments are keeping me from being very sympathetic.

On my way to school, I turn down a street, in the opposite direction of Domino High. I haven't skipped school since Yugi and I became friends. Okay, not since Hirutani tried to hook me back into the gang. The point is I'm ditching and I don't know why. I feel lost; there isn't anyone to keep me from going back. Yugi doesn't care about anything anymore and I doubt anyone else will notice I'm gone. Tristan might unless he found a new skirt to chase. He seems less affected then anyone.

As I walk down the alley the sound of running footsteps reaches my ears I begin to turn but am slammed against a sidewall before I can react.

"What the hell are you doing, man?"

I look at my attacker in shock as the question is asked. Familiar brown eyes stare at me intensely. It's Tristan. For some reason I'm in a foul mood at being found out so I bite back, "What's it matter to you?" I try to shove him off, but the guy barely stumbles.

"It matters to me because you're being a moron and you're going to get yourself killed," he answers.

"Like anyone would notice? Maybe once I get killed I can get some answers from the dumbass who left us!" I bellow, giving him another shove. Again, it has no real effect. But my words do. Shock fills Tristan's features to be instantly replaced by fury. He slams my back into the wall again to drive his point home.

"So you're just giving up and forgetting him, then?"

"I'm not forgetting anything!"

"Bull, man!" He takes a breath to calm down but his tone is no less dangerous. "What was the point of him being here at all if you're going to forget everything he showed us?"

I slam my fist in his gut and pin him to the wall, instead. I pull back my fist to hit him again but his low chuckle stops me.

"You're just the same as you were back then, Joey. Just a bully. If Atem could see you now he'd be ashamed. If Yugi were here right now he'd be ashamed. _I'm_ ashamed, man. After everything you're just going to go back? You're just going to be some back streets good-for-nothing punk?"

I mentally step back and examine myself. Oh God, he's right. I am turning my back on them. I'm turning my back on my friends. No more. I release Tristan from my hold and take a few steps back. "I'm sorry man," I whisper. What more can I say? He nods. Wordlessly we begin to walk to school. Something makes me pause. I look up into the bright blue sky.

"Tris?" I call.

"Yeah?" he stops too and I know he's looking at me even if I haven't taken my gaze from the sky.

"Do you think he can see us?" I finally turn my gaze back to my bud. He glances at the sky as well a frown crosses his features.

"I don't know."

"Hmmm," I look up to the heavens once again. "Well if you can, Atem, I'm really sorry you had to watch that, man."

Tristan looks skyward as well, "Yeah," I hear him murmur, "me too." We stand there for a few moments then it feels as if the sun shone a little brighter and the air around us grew a little warmer. Then it passes and leaves us staring at each other.

"Do you think…?" he asks. I grin and nod. He grins as well. With that we race toward school realizing we're going to be late. My heart is a little lighter. He didn't leave us as alone as I thought….

"Hey Joey! Did you finish the algebra homework?"

I almost have a heart attack. "WE HAD ALEGEBRA?"

"Nah, I just wanted to see your face," he laughs.

"GAHHH! TRISTAN! GET BACK HERE!"

He just laughs again and runs a little faster. I can feel that slight warmth again and I know he's smiling and shaking his head, just like he used to.


	4. Kaiba

A/N: This one is mine. It's theme is slightly different from the others. Enjoy! Also, please note: reviews of all kinds are very welcome.

After: Kaiba 

It began, innocently enough, with a question.

As part of the on-going promotion of Kaibaland, which in turn furthered the revitalization of Kaiba Corp, the board had advised that I hold a press conference. I hate press conferences. Reporters flapping their jaws, cameramen hounding you with their flashes, and every smiling face trying to catch you in a trap. To me, press conferences have always been a last resort. When there's no other way to harness the power of media on your side, there's no help for it. Call the reporters.

Before I had agreed to this, I had required my staff to carefully craft a list of invitees, culling from it anyone who was likely to ask any unpleasant questions. In short, anyone who would do anything other than parrot back to the public whatever I wanted them to hear. It was a short list. But the technique had seemed to work. They threw me trivial, token questions, and I answered them as I wished, giving the usual spiel about the cutting edge technology the park employed, the thrilling rides, and exhilarating games. I even talked a little about how dueling fortified your mind, developing your sense of strategy and ability to think on your feet. A little bone for the parents to chew on.

And then, just when they had lulled me into a false sense of security, one reporter glanced at his notepad and asked, "So, do you still plan on regaining your title as the number one duelist from your rival Yugi Muto, the King of Games?"

My breath caught._ The King of Games_. For a long time, I'd labored under the delusion that that was Yugi Muto. I'd agonized over how a young boy could come out of nowhere, pick up his grandfather's deck, and defeat _me_. Me, a seasoned veteran of countless duels. Me, who's deck combined skill, strategy, and power to a degree of perfection seen nowhere else. Me, the previously-undefeated, ex-topranked duelist in the world.

I'd run scenario after scenario, analysis after analysis, and came no closer to understanding it. Yugi insisted it was "the heart of the cards." That and "destiny" seemed to come out of his mouth every time he breathed. But I knew there was more to it. It hadn't escaped my notice, the way he changed whenever he dueled. He went from a small, shy, boy who would probably burst out crying if he stepped on a bug, to someone else entirely, a cool, confident figure, intense, and almost ruthless. I could distinguish between them easily, the tenderhearted yet talented runt, and the commanding yet preachy champion. But when that champion told me for the first time that he was not Yugi Muto at all, I refused to believe him. The story he told me was ridiculous, a load of nonsense about being an Egyptian pharaoh five thousand years ago. All I could think was: _So that's why he thinks everyone should listen to his every word. He's the king._

If that wasn't bad enough, he seemed to have enlisted every possible person to try to convince me of the "truth." His little gang of friends, Ishizu, Marik, even Dartz, that freak who had tried to take over my company. Even Mokuba seemed to half-believe it. I had resisted, until the every end. But finally, I was faced with proof that I couldn't deny—no matter much my mind struggled to.

It was true, there really were two Yugis. No, that was wrong. One, the strong one, the confident one, the one who had been my rival for so long, wasn't really Yugi at all. He was a pharaoh, long ago, and he had saved the world from evil. His name was Atem.

And just when I had finally come to accept all this, he left. I didn't even get to challenge him a final time. I made my offer and was turned down. I wasn't good enough for him, apparently. Yugi faced him instead. He lost and he left, leaving me to simmer in my disgrace. Now I would never be able to defeat him. Now I would never reclaim everything I lost that day when we faced each other for the first time. He was gone, and everything I had been striving for since that long-ago loss was gone with him.

I looked up to see the reporters still there, turning anxious expressions up at me. "Mr. Kaiba?" the journalist ventured. "What about Yugi Muto?"

What about him? He was just a kid, just a vessel for my late rival. I didn't want to defeat Yugi Muto; I wanted to defeat the King of Games.

Involuntarily, my mind reflected on the last hours of that king. I had been rejected as an opponent for that final match. Yugi was chosen instead. And somehow, that kid, that shrimp, that runt had managed to do what I had never done. What I had thought was impossible to do. He had found a way to defeat all three Egyptian God cards, the most powerful monsters in the game. And more than that, he had defeated _him_. Atem had finally lost…and it wasn't to me. He had passed on, conferring his blessing and title on his greatest opponent…and it wasn't me.

I swallowed a lump in my throat. Maybe it was pride. "Of course I still plan on challenging Yugi Muto," I replied to the waiting media. "And I fully intend to take his title." I don't give up on my goals lightly. I'll beat the King of Games yet.


	5. Tristan

A/N: This is yet another oneshot from the talented Silver Huntress. Thanks to all our awesome reviewers!

After: Tristan

That day I found Joey almost seemed to be a turnaround for everyone. That morning Yugi'd stood up to Ushio and survived, Tea seemed to have finally found the strength to cope, and Joey got back to slacking and being the usual goofball he is. Kaiba even threw himself into his newest project at Kaiba Corp, so he was absent from school that day.

I can't believe it took them so long to remember. That memory is what's kept me normal. Call it cheesy or overly emotional if you want, but after Atem moved on, at first I was upset…okay I'll admit it I was on the verge of bawling my eyes out, but I'm a tough guy so I couldn't do that…um, wait, where was I?

Oh yeah, but then I kinda had one of those flashbacks. I remembered back to the first time Yugi and Atem dueled against Kaiba. Atem wasn't Atem back then, he wasn't even pharaoh back then, all he was to us was the other Yugi and that's if we noticed the change at all... UGH! I'm getting off topic again.

Right before the ambulance arrived to take Mr. Motou to the hospital, Tea had the four of us stand in a circle and put our hands in the middle. Then she used a marker to draw a smiley face on the backs of our hands.

The little explanatory speech went something along the lines of, "It's a symbol of our friendship. The ink of the marker will eventually fade, but the ring will always be in our hearts and it is a sign that we'll always be there for each other." If she said anything after that, I tuned her out. ANYWHOO…

To me, that ring has always been there and the circle we stood in has been filled with the people we've met and the friends we've made when Atem was with us: Mai, Bakura, Duke, Serenity, Marik, Ishizu, Odion, Mokuba, Rebecca, Leon, and tons of others. I guess you could even put a reluctant Kaiba in there too.

Whenever I started getting down, I just thought of that ring, and of all the people who joined it. I can hear Tea's voice giving one of her by now trademark friendship speeches but in my mind, rather than her drawing the face, it's Atem holding the marker.

Everyone whose lives Atem had touched joined that circle, and that smiley face has been redrawn countless times, but its significance still stands. Together, our friends formed a bond. Like the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle, we came together to form something impossible to create on our own.

Unlike the Millennium Puzzle, though, more pieces are still being added. Even after he left, he's still here in a way. Because everything he's ever taught us and everyone else he met is still in our hearts. And every time one of us passes on one of those lessons, Atem's presence is felt again. Even if the new puzzle pieces never met the heart of our new puzzle, he's still affected him. Still changed their lives.

Like a ripple in a pond, Atem's wisdom is spreading. We may not see it, but it's there. It's there in every heart and soul he's touched, whether directly or through one of us. And like a ripple, the disturbance Atem has made in the water will keep growing until it reaches the very edge of the pond. Or, in this case, the whole world.

Wow. Thinking like that, I feel so lucky that I got to hang with the guy while he was here. How many people can say they knew someone who is still changing the world after they've died? Not many.

Atem was an incredible person. Think about it. The guy saved the world more times than you can mention, he's changed so many people for the better. But how many? Will we ever really know? How many pieces are there to the puzzle now?

Hey. What if the Millennium Puzzle had the same number of pieces as our hypothetical puzzle does now? Y'know it wouldn't surprise me. It'd rank pretty low on my Weird-Stuff-O-Meter; 'bout a three. But how many? Do they even have a correlation? (Whoa big word, maybe Tea's rubbing off on me)

"Hey Tristan," Yugi's voice interrupts my thoughts. (Probably a good thing since I was starting to confuse myself.) "A penny for your thoughts?"

I shrug, "Just thinking about Atem." Wait a minute. "Hey Yugi."

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember how many puzzle pieces there were?" I don't need to specify, there is only one puzzle I could be talking about.

Now it's Yugi's turn to shrug, "I don't know, a lot, maybe, over a hundred?"

Hmmm, I think about Yugi's answer carefully. Yeah that sounds about right. One hundred pieces, one hundred lives. Wow, destiny's creepy like that. But, then again, hanging out with Atem I'm pretty used to it by now.


	6. Atem

A/N: This is Silver Huntress's, the grand finale. I'll miss working on this anthology.

After Atem:

I chuckle to myself as I watch Joey and Tristan acting like the lovable idiots they are, I'm surprised that they sensed me watching but I'm glad. I rarely move from my place by the reflecting pool that allows me to watch the mortal world. This is not the only one but it has been silently claimed as my own. I've been in the afterlife for months but for some reason I'm unable to simply walk away from my second life in Domino.

I just need a sign that they'll all be all right. They are my friends and even after leaving them I can't just not keep an eye on them. From what I've seen, most of the people I've met seem to be getting along fine. It's Yugi, Tea, Joey, Tristan, and Kaiba I'm worried about. But-

_Joey and Tristan will be fine,_ I think as I watch them walk to school. Kaiba too will be fine. He seemed depressed for a time but he had a press conference yesterday and something he said reassured me that I needn't be worrying about him any longer.

As I continue to watch the morning unfold I can see them continue to move on. Tea's morning walk with Yugi seems to have done her a world of good and I can see Yugi take a stand against Ushio the Ogre. I cannot help but feel a surge of pride at Yugi's actions and I murmur congratulations to him.

I rise from my place beside the pool, smiling, "They'll be all right." I walk toward the Egyptian palace that is the domain of my family and friends from my past life. Currently everyone is gathered around eating lunch; Seto spots me first.

"My gods! The apocalypse is upon us! Look who has decided to join us," he cries. I roll my eyes and sit opposite my cousin, between Mana and Mahad. I nod greetings to everyone and wait…

"So to what do we owe the pleasure? Has the mortal world fallen to hell with no survivors?" Seto asks.

I do not dignify this with a verbal response instead I pick up a roll and hurl it at my cousin's head. To my immense satisfaction my projectile hit him square in the forehead and the look on his face is absolutely priceless. Isis, Kisara, Mahad, and Mana are the only ones to notice and they choose to ignore our childish behavior as Seto throws the roll back hitting my nose.

The little spat ended, I pick up a different roll and proceed to munch on it. "So?" questions Seto. "Why have you joined us?"

I shrug, "They'll be fine. There's no more reason to watch them." He nods and within moments Mana pulls me into her plans for later that day. I glance back toward the reflecting pool, _I'll be fine too._


End file.
